1. Feminist/Gender Theory Literary Lens
CIS
Ms. Nicole

2. Gender vs Sex

3. Gender vs Sex – defined
Sex – biological differences: chromosomes, hormones, internal and external organs (male and female)
Gender – characteristics that a society or culture attach to different sexes (masculine or feminine)
Neither sex nor gender refers to orientation or choice.
In sociological terms 'gender role' refers to the characteristics and behaviors that different cultures attribute to the sexes. What it means to be a 'real man' in any culture requires male sex plus what our various cultures define as masculine characteristics and behaviors, likewise a 'real woman' needs female sex and feminine characteristics. 
As mentioned before sex refers to the biology you are born with, not that which you may choose and gender refers to the socially defined roles and characteristics of men and women associated with that sex. 

4. 'man' = male sex+ masculine social role
(a 'real man', 'masculine' or 'manly')
'woman' = female sex + feminine social role
(a 'real woman', 'feminine' or 'womanly')

5. What is Feminist/Gender Theory a reaction to?
Gender stereotypes, often limiting
Patriarchal systems
Early feminist critics were reacting to what they perceived as offensive and derogatory stereotypes of women in literature written by men. Many feminist critics were fighting against the writings or the mechanisms that express and enforce the relations of power in society (keeping it patriarchal or male-dominated).

6. Gender theory – manifested
Women in the US today paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to men 
gap even worse for African-American and Latina women
the sex-based wage gap exists in every state and in the country's 50 largest metropolitan areas.
wage gap -- the median yearly pay for women who are employed full time is $11,084 less than men’s

7. And yet…
Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history.
Most managers are now women too.
And for every two men who get a college degree this year, three women will do the same.

8. Assumptions Texts cannot exist without gender as a frame of reference.
Historically, writing and interpretation have been dominated by men and masculine perceptions.
Men and women are different, which should be recognized and valued.
Differences may be in social behavior, ideas and/or values.

9. What to do:
Consider gender of author and/or characters. What role does gender or sexuality play in this work?
Look at the effects of power drawn from gender in the work.
Ask how the text reinforces or undermines gender stereotypes and/or roles.

10. Three steps
Identify the expectations of gender (women) in the passage.
Determine the effect of these expectations.
Make inferences/claims about social issues involving equality that stem from those expectations

11. Big Question
How does this text reinforce, critique, or challenge definitions of femininity and masculinity?

12. Let’s Practice!
4VfPmg

13. Poor, Unfortunate Souls
What are the expectations for women in this song?
What are the effects of those expectations?
What generalizations can we make based on those expectations and effects?